Card processing apparatus



A. E. GRAY E' AL CARD PROCESSING APPARATUS oct. 1s, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 13. 195'? Oct. 18, 1960 A. E. GRAY ETAL CARD PROCESSING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June l5, 1957 OC- 18 1960 A. E. GRAY ETAL 2,956,800.-y

CARD PROCESSING APPARATUS Fi led June 13, 195'? 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 O ,l n j f' 152 fe 122 /40\ x50 0L 18, 1960 A. E. GRAY ErAL 2,956,800

CARL PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed June 13, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 2%4 32 ZZ .M fzz J .ne 4 V l V l A l if l z u :I by 124 run UIIHllHmmmlmulini 2 m e 'I ff 54'56 1| 53 52 Oct. 18, 1960 A. E. GRAY ETA. 2,956,800

CARD PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed June l5, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 g l I 204 au 'l :aq zdf f: 2M

giga fai I 222 Oct. 18, 1960 A. E. GRAY Erm.

CARD PROCESSING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 13, 1957 United States Patent CARD PROCESSDIG APPARATUS Alfred E. Gray, Culver City, Herman J. Malin, Los Angeles, and Harold B. Thompson, Playa Del Rey, Calif., assignors to Magnavox Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed June '13, 1957, Ser. No. 665,496

8 Claims. (Cl. 271-5) The present invention relates Ito data processing apparatus yand systems in which information storage cards are transported between various stations Ifor processing purposes.

The invention is more particularly concerned with a data processing apparatus which is constructed so that damaging of .the information cards due to jamming as they are being fed into the ,different stations is eliminated for all practical purposes.

Many known types of data processing systems use a plurality of individual information storage cards on which the data stored in .the system is recorded. In some types of systems, the data is recorded on the individual cards in the form of holes. These holes .are patterned, usually, in accordance with a selected binary code to represent the particular `data recorded on each card. In other types of systems, the information or data is recorded on the cards in the form of magnetic areas of one polarity or another, or in the form of photographic information, or in any other suitable form.

The present invention will `be described in conjunction with the magnetic type of system. It will become obvious, however, as the description proceeds that the apparatus of the invention is `appropriate for use in any system involving the transport of a plurality of information cards, regardless of the Iactual technique or method used -to record the information on the individual cards.

Lt lis usual in data processing systems to transport the information storage cards from one or more feeding stations in sequence past a transducer sensing position at which they are processed. After such processing, the cards are transported to one or more stacking stations in which they become deposited. For llexibility in `the system .and for increasing the speed -with which the apparatus may be operated, it is desirable that at least some of the feeding and stacking stations be reversible so lthat each may perform both functions. Reversible feed-stacking stations .are described and claimed, for example, in copending application Ser. No. 645,639 inthe names of Alfred M. Nelson and Allan Orner.

In preferred types of data processing systems and apparatus, rotatably mounted vacuum pressure drums .are used to transport the information cards from one station to another. Such drums carry the cards between the vario-us stations on their peripheral surfaces. An improved construction for such a drum is disclosed and claimed, for example, in copending application Ser. No. 600,975, now U.S. Patent No. 2,883,189, which was filed July 30, 1956 in the name of Loren R. Wilson. This particular type of transporting drum will be described in detail in the present specification.

The various card holding stations referred to above are constituted so as to hold the information cards in stacked relation. The stacks of cards in the different stations are supported so that the lower edges of the individual cards in each stack rest on a supporting surface, and the face of the leading card in each stack engages the periphery of the transporting drum. A transresponds to such an occurrence.

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fer mechanism is associated with each station,. and this mechanism is adjustable to a first operational mode in which cards may be selectively fed from the particular station to the drum, or to a second operational mode in which cards transported on the peripheral surface of the drum are removed and deposited in the station. Such a transfer mechanism also will be described in detail in the present specication.

Because of the large number of cards used in most data processing systems at present, it is important from a time standpoint that the cards may be controlled to move in and out of the stations for processing at an extremely high rate of speed. It is also desirable that a relatively large number of cards may be so moved in and out of the various stations. There is, however, a tendency for the cards to jam as they are fed into holding stations from the transporting medium such as the rotatable vacuum pressure drum referred to above.

There is an increased tendency for jamming of the cards when large numbers of cards are Yfed into any of the stacking stations and when the speed with which `they are so fed is relatively high. A major cause for any tendency to jam results from the fact that the cards are pushed against the transporting drum by cards already in the station as they are being transferred into the station. This blocks the mouth of the station and causes subsequent cards to be arrested on the drum while they are still displaced from the mouth of the station. The direct result is that the cards tend to collect one on top of the other on the periphery of the rotatable transporting drum when there is any tendency to jam.

In accordance with the present invention, a sensing means is disposed adjacent the transporting drum and near the mouth of a corresponding stacking station. The sensing means is mounted in a manner to be described to sense the occurrence of a card becoming disposed on top of another card on the periphery of the drum within the vicinity of the mouth of the corresponding stacking station. A suitable control means is provided, and this control means is actuated by the sensing means to stop the feed of cards from other stations to the r0- tatable transporting drum whenever the sensing means The control means can also serve to stop the rotation of the transporting drum whenever this occurrence arises.

The improved apparatus of the invention, therefore, is controlled so that at the first indication of a card jamming condition at any of the stacking stations, the

feed of cards from the drum to the particular stacking station at which the condition has arisen is effectively arrested. This permits the apparatus quickly to be brought to a stop and the condition to be rectified before 'the cards subjected to the jamming are damaged and jamming condition of the type described above occurs;`

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a reversible feedingu l stacking station particularly adapted -for inclusion in the improved apparatus of the present invention and also shows the anti-jamming apparatus forming a part of the invention;

Figure 2a is a fragmentary plan view of one of the n rdrums shown in Figure 1 and certain members` t anti-jamming apparatus and shows the relative disposition of the drum and the members in the anti-jamming apparatus when cards are being transported in a normal manner by the drum;

Figure 2b is a fragmentary plan view similar to Figure 2a and illustrates the relative disposition of the drum and the members in the anti-jamming apparatus when a jamming of the cards on the drum occurs;

Figure 3 is a sectional view substantially on the ,line 3-3 of Figure l showing the constructional details of the rotatable drum of Figure l, which drum produces a vacuum pressure at its ,peripheral surface so Athat `information cards may be rigidly held and transported onrthat surface;

Figure 4 is a side View of the reversible stationof Figure 2 as incorporated in the apparatus of the invention, this view particularly showing a sensing means positioned adjacent the rotatable drum for indicating the occurrence of the jammed condition of the cards;

Figures 5 and 6 are bottom views of the reversible station of Figure 2 to show an appropriate control for actuating the station to its feeding mode and to its stacking mode, the station being in its stacking mode in Figure 5 and in its feeding mode in Figure 6;

Figure 7 is a side view of the reversible station of Figure 2, partially in s'ection and taken from the opposite side to the View of Figure 4, this View particularly illustrating a suitable driving means for the actuation of the station to its feeding mode and to its stacking mode;

Figure 8 is another View, partly in section, of the driving means for the control of the reversible station substantially on the line 8 8 of Figure 7, this latter view particularly illustrating a clutch for coupling a drive motor 'to the-driving means and also showing suitable solenoid means for actuating the clutch;

Figure 9 is a view partly in section substantially on the line 9 9 of Figure 8, and it illustrates further details of the clutch mechanism; and

Figure 10 is a control system for the apparatus of Figure l, into which the present invention is incorporated to prevent the further feeding of cards to a stacking station when a jammed condition occurs.

In the system and apparatus of Figure 1, transport means movable in a closed loop such as a rotatable vacuum pressure drum 16 is mounted on a horizontal table top 11 for rotation about a vertical axis. The drum is constructed in a manner to be described to exert a vacuum pressure at its peripheral edge. Such vacuum pressure enables the drum firmly to retain the information cards in fixed angular positions about its periphery so thatthese cards may be transported by the drum.

A first reversible feeding-stacking station 10 is mounted on the table top 11, with its mouth in contiguous relationship with the peripheral edge of the vacuum transporting drum 16. A second reversible station 12 is also mounted on the table top 11 at the opposite side of the drum 16 from the station 10. The station 12 also has its mouth disposed in contiguous relationship with the drum 16.

The drum 16 is illustrated as rotating in a clockwise direction. Each of the stations -10 and 12 is equipped with suitable transfer mechanisms to constitute reversible stations similar to those described in the copending application Serial No. 645,639. The particular transfer mechanisms will be described in detail subsequently in the present specification.

A first transducer means 13 is mounted on the table top 11, and this transducer means is positioned between the stations 10 and 12. A second transducer means 14 may also be mounted on the table top 11, and the second transducer means is positioned on the opposite side of the drum 16 from the transducer means 13. The transducer means 13 and 14 may be any suitable and well known type of electromagnetic transducer head, or series of heads. For example, the transducer means may be constructed in a manner similar to the transducers de- 4 scribed in copending application Ser. No. 550,296, filed December l, 1956 by AlfredM. Nelson et al.

The station 10 `has a vacuum pressure feed head 18 pivotally mounted adjacent a guide rail 32, this guide rail constituting the leading wall of the station with respect to the direction of rotation of the drum 16. The station 10 also has a stack head 20 which is pivotally mounted adjacent a guide rail 34. The guide rail 34 is spaced from and parallel to the guide rail 32, and it constitutes the trailing wall of the station with respect to the direction of rotation of the drum 16.

The construction and operation of the feed head 18 and of the stack head 20 may be similar to that described in copending application Ser. No. 645,639 referred to above. It is believed unnecessary to include a detailed description of the constructional details of these units in the present application. It should be pointed out, however, that the feed head 18 is controlled to exert a vacuum pressure at its surface 18 when the station 10 is in its feeding operational mode. This vacuum pressure is exerted on the trailing portion of the leadingcard in the card holder. The same leading card rests on the peripheral edge of the drum 16, and the drum also exerts a vacuum force on this card.

The force exerted by the drum 16 tends to withdraw the leading card from the card holder 10 whereas the force exerted by the feed head 18 tends to retain that card inthe holder. The force exerted by the head 18 is madethe greater of the two so that it is able to overcom e the force exerted on the card by the drum 16. As long as the leading card is held in this manner in the card holder 10, the other cards supported in stacked relationship in the card holder behind the leading card are also held in the holder. The cards are so held in the card holder in a generally stacked relationship and in individual vertical planes, with the lower edges of the cards resting on the surface of the table top 11.

Whenever the vacuum pressure to the feedhand 18 is momentarily interrupted, the leading card in the card holder is Withdrawn by the drum 16. The interval of the interruption in the vacuum pressure by the head 18 is conveniently made such that only one card can be released from the card holder to the periphery of the drum 16. The next card in the stack now comes into the leading position, and it is retained in the card holder in the manner described until the next interruption of the vacuum pressure to the feed head 18.

During the feeding mode of the station, the stack head 20 is withdrawn to its standby position. In the stacking operational mode of the station 10, however, the feed head 18 is withdrawn to its standby position and its vacuum pressure is turned off by a mechanically operated valve which is mounted inside the feed head. The stack head 20 is now moved into its operative position in substantial engagement with the peripheral surface of the drum 1.6. When the station is in this stacking operational mode, any card transported by the drum is stopped by the stack head 20 to be deposited in the card holder 10.

A pick-off member 22 is mounted adjacent the guide rail 32 of the station 10. This pick-off member has a bracket which extends diagonally across the guide rail 32, and it has a series of fingers 22 which extend into peripheral grooves which are formed in the periphery of the `drurn 16. The stack head 20 has fingers 20' (Figure 2) which also extend into these grooves. The fingers 22' are humped radially outwardly so that the cards transported by the drum 16 n'de over the fingers and are lifted outwardly from the periphery of the drum. Therefore, each card arrested by the stack head 20 has its trailing edge projecting over the fingers 22'. The succeeding card transported by the `drum 16 rides up and over the fingers 22' and under the preceding card so as to pry the preceding card fromthe periphery of the drum. The succeeding card is also stopped by the stack head 20 and the preceding card is thereby deposited in the card holder 10. In this manner, the apparatus is conditioned to `its second or stacking mode in which the cards transported by the 4drum 16 are stacked in the card holder 10.

Therefore, the dual feeding-stacking station described above has two operational modes. In the lirst or feeding mode, cards are held in stacked relationship in the card holder 10, and such cards may be controllably and successively fed to the peripheral surface of the transport drum 16. In the second or stacking mode, cards transported by the periphery of the drum 16 are stripped from that periphery and are deposited in the station 10.

The station 12 also may have a feed head 18a associated with its leading wall or guide rail, and it may also have a stack head 20a associated with its trailing Wall or guide rail. The station 12 also may have a pick-off member 22a mounted adjacent the feed head 18a. The feed head 18a and the stack head 20a may be similar in their construction and operation to the corresponding heads 18 and 20 associated with the station 10. Likewise, the pick-olf member 22a may be similar to the pick-off member 22.

In its feeding mode of operation, the station may contain a plurality of information storage cards in stacked relationship. In that mode the transfer mechanism associated with the station 10 is conditioned for controllably feeding the cards to the drum 16. The station 12 at this time is in its stacking mode, and its transfer mechanism is conditioned to deposit cards in the station. The cards from the station 10 may now be controlllably fed to the transporting drum 16 and transported by that drum at the transducer means 13 for processing. After the processing of the cards by the transducer means 13, they are deposited in the station 12. At the completion of this operation, the operational modes of the stations 10 and 12 may be reversed so that the cards may be returned from the station 12 to the station 10. The cards may be further processed by the transducer means 14 as they are so returned to the station 10.

The system and apparatus of Figure l is merely to illustrate one application to which the apparatus of the present invention may be placed. This apparatus at the station 10 includes in combination with the components described above a sensing means in the form of a switch actuator 50 in the illustrated embodiment. The switch actuator 50 is keyed to `a vertical shaft 51. The vertical shaft extends through the table top 11, and it is held in the table top against axial movement, by a suitable bearing assembly 52 (Figures 2 and 4). The switch actuator 50 is mounted at the upper end of the shaft 51, and it is disposed adjacent the guide rail 32 of the station 10.

A spring 53 is coiled about the shaft 51 under the table top 11. The spring 53 serves to bias 'the shaft in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure l, so that the free end of the switch actuator 50 is biased towards the periphery of the drum 16. A suitable stop member 54 is mounted on `the table `top 11, and this stop extends upwardly from the table top. A radial projection 56 is mounted on the shaft 51, and the spring 53 biases the shaft in a clockwise direction until the radial projection 56 engages the stop 54.

The radial projection 56 sets the angular position of the shaft 51 to a location so that the free end of the actuator 50 is spaced from the periphery of the drum 16 by a distance corresponding, for example, to slightly in excess of the thickness of one card on the periphery of the drum. The switch actuator 50` is positioned so that its free end is disposed adjacent the drum 16 just to the rear of the ngers 22 of the pick-off member 22. So long as only a single layer of cards are transported on the periphery of the drum 16 4past 4the switch actuator 50, the switch actuator is not actuated as may be seen in Figure 2a and remain in a stand-by position. However, should a jamming condition occur so that the cards collect over one another in the vicinity of the pick-off 22', such cards cause the switch actuator 50 to move away from the periphery of the drum in a counterclockwise ldirection to an operative position. This Iis illustrated on a somewhat `schematic basis in Figure 2b.

A lever arm 57 is atlixed to the lower end of the shaft 51 (Figure 4), and the lever arm extends in a radial direction away from the shaft. A switch 58 is mounted on a supporting bracket 59. The switch 58 has a springbiased actuating button 60. This button is engaged by Ithe arm 57 and depressed, whenever the free end of the switch actuator 50 is moved outwardly from the periphery of the transporting drum 16 to its operative position by the jammed cards.

The switch 58 may, for example, be a single-pole, single-throw type. Also, the spring-biased button 60 may be normally biased to a position at which the switch is open, Therefore, When a jammed condition of the card occurs at the mouth of the station 10, the switch actuator 50 causes the arm 57 to depress the button 60 and close the switch 58.

A similar assembly including `a switch actuator 50a may be mounted at the mouth of the station 12, with the switch actuator 50a being pivotally supported adjacent the pick-off 22a at the leading wall of that station. Other components shown in Figure l adjacent the station 12 have been given the same number with an a designation as corresponding components adjacent the station 10.

Therefore, as long as the system is operating satisfactorily, the switch actuators 50 and 50a are not operated. However, should a jammed condition occur, one or the other of the switch actuators is engaged by the jammed cards to cause its corresponding switch to close. This, in a manner to be described, conditions all of the Stations to their stacking mode to arrest theV feed of cards to the drum 16. 'In addition, the drum 16 is also brought to a stop. The apparatus i-s, therefore, immediately drawn to a halt, and `any danger of the cards becoming damaged and of theinformation on the cards becoming obliterated as a result ofthe jammed condition is obviated.

As shown in greater detail, for example, in Figure 2, the station 10 includes the guide rail 32 which constitutes its leading wall, and it also includes the guide rail 34 which constitutes its trailing wall. These guide rails are mounted in spaced and parallel relationship on the table top 11, and they extend outwardly from the drum 16. The guide rails serve to support the cards in individual perpendicular planes in a stacked condition with the lower edges of the supported cards resting on the table top. A suitable spring-biased pusher member (not shown) is included in the station, and this pusher member biases the stacked cards toward the mouth of the station.4 -YThis enables the cards to be maintained in stacked condition in the station.

The front end lof the guide rail 34 is bifurcated to receive the `stack head 20. The stack head is movable in a slot 42 in the table top 11 between its operative position and its standby position. The guide rail 32 also has a bifurcated end portion for receiving the feed head 18, and the feed head is movable in a slot 38 in the table top 11. The pick-olf 22 is mounted on a block 23 outside the station 10 and adjacent the'guide rail 32. The pick-olf is mounted on the block 23 by means of a pail' of screws 25. v

The feed head 18 provides a controllable vacuum pressure at its surface 1S' for the purposes described above, when the station 10 is in its feeding mode. This vacuum pressure can be produced by means of a suitable feed line which is coupled to a nipple 61 in the feed head under the table top f11 (Figures 5 and 6). A suitable solenoid actuated valve (not shown) is associated Vwith the supply of vacuum pressure to the feed head '18. The electrical control of this valve controls the vacuum pres'- sure `at the surface 18 of the feed head to control the feed of cards from the station to the periphery of the drum 16. Au internal mechanical valve may he included in the feed head to turn o the vacuum pressure at the surface 18. I'his latter valve is actuated when the feed head is retracted `to its standby position to condition the station to its stacking mode. The actual structural details of the feed head 18 and its associated valve assemblies form -no part of the present invention. A full descripiton of these assemblies may be found in the copendiug application Ser. No. 645,639.

Details of the vacuum transporting Vdrum 16 Yare shown in Figure 3. As noted above, this drum-may be similar in its construction to the unit disclosed and claimed in copending application Ser. No. 600,975, filed July 30, -1956 in the name of Loren R. Wilson.

As shown in Figure 3, the vacuum transporting dr-um 16 is provided with a lower section and an upper sec tion. The lower section includes a disk-like bottom surface 118 and an annular side portion 120 integral with one another. A pair of axially spaced peripheral oriiices 122 and 124 extend through the side portion 120. Each of these orifices is discontinuous in that it is interrupted at selected intervals about its periphery by ribs 126 which are integral `with the side poition 120. The orifices have respective external peripheral channels associated with each of them, and fingers such as the lingers 22 (Figure 2) of the pick-olf 22 and the fingers 20 of the stack head extend into these channels, as mentioned previously. This engagement of the fingers 20 and 22 with the peripheral channels permits the cards to be removed from the periphery of the drum and to be deposited in either of the stations in the described manner when the particular stations are in their stacking mode.

The upper section of the drum 16 is in the form of a disk-like member 130 which engages the annular side portion 120 of the lower section. The upper section 130 forms an enclosure with the lower section of the drum, with the upper section parallel to the disk-shaped bottorn portion 118 of the lower section. The upper section is held in place on the side portion 120 by a series of screws 132.

A deflector ring 140 is supported within the interior of the drum 16 in press-lit with the inner surface of the annular side portion 120. This deflector ring is tapered toward the center of the drum to prevent turbulence and to provide a streamlined path for air that is drawn in through the orifices 122 and 124.

The portion 118 of the lower section of the drum 16 contains a central opening surrounded by a annular collar 141. The collar 141 surrounds a collar 142 provided at one end of `a hollow shaft 144. The drum 16 is supported on a shoulder formed by the collar 142, and the f end of the shaft extends into the opening of the portion 118 in friction-tit with that portion. Therefore, rotation of the hollow shaft 144 causes the drum 16 to rotate. Also, the interior of the hollow shaft 144 communicates with the interior of the drum.

Bearings 146 are provided at opposite ends of the shaft 144. The inner races of the bearings 146 are mounted on the shaft 144, and the outer races of the bearings are disposed against bushings 148 secured to a housing 150 by studs 152. An arcuate opening 156 is provided in the housing 150 between the bearings 156. This opening enables a drive belt 158 to extend into the housing and around a pulley 160. Thetpulley 160 is keyed to the shaft 144 between the bearings 146, and the `pulley is held against axial movement by sleeves 162. In this way, the shaft 144 and the drum `16 can ybe rotated by a suitable motor (not shown) coupled to the pulley 160 by the drivebelt 158.

The bearings 146 and the sleeves 162 are held on the shaft 144 by a nut 166. The nut 166 is screwed on a threaded portion at the bottom ofthe shaft, and a lock washer 164 is interposed between it and the lower bearing. A sealing disk 168 is also screwed on the threaded portion at the bottom of the shaft 144. The sealing disk 168 operates in conjunction with a bottom plate.170

to inhibit the movement of air between the interior of the housing and theinterior of the hollow shaft 144 when a pressure differential exists between the housing and the shaft.

The bottom plate 170 is secured to the housing 150 by studs 172, and it vhas a central circular opening. A hollow conduit 174 extends into the 'opening in frictionit with the plate 170. The conduit 174 is axially aligned with the hollow shaft 144 so that air may be exhausted from the hollow interiors of the shaft and the conduit by a vacuum pump 176. The vacuum pump may be of any suitable known construction and, for that reason, is shown merely in block form.

The vacuum pump 176 draws air in through the orifices 122 and 124, through the interior of the drum 16 down the shaft 144 and through the conduit 174. This creates a vacuum pressure at the outer peripheral surface of the annular portion 120 of the lower section of the drum 16. The vacuum pressure that is so created around the outer surface of the annular portion'120 of the drum serves to retain the information cards firmly on that surface as they `are transported by thedrum.

As more clearly shown in Figures 5 and 6, a cam 204 for driving the heads 18 and 20 is fixed at the underside of the table top 11 to a cam shaft 206 which extends through the table top. A switch actuator cam 210 is also mounted on the cam shaft 206 in coaxial relation with the cam 204. The cams are keyed to the shaft 206 by any suitable keying arrangement. A sprocket wheel 222 (Figure 7) is also aiiixed to the shaft 206 by means, for example, of a set screw 216. A suitable chain drive is coupled to the sprocket 222 in a manner to be described to produce rotation of the cams 204 and 210.

A lever arm 224 is pivotally mounted on the under side of the table top 11, and the lever arm is atiixed to a pivot shaft 226 which extends upwardly through the table top. A supporting shaft 40 for the stack head 20 is aixed to the lower end of the lever arm 22 in Figures 5 and 6, and this shaft extends upwardly from the lever arm through the slot 42 in the table top 11. A cam follower 228 is rotatably mounted on the lever arm 224 at an intermediate point on the arm between the pivot shaft 226 and the upper end of the arm in Figures 5 and 6. The cam follower 228 is adapted to ride on the peripheral edge of the cam 204.

A second lever arm 230 is pivotally mounted on a pivot shaft 232 at the other side of the cam 204. The shaft 232 also extends upwardly through the table top 11. The feed head is atiixed to the lower end of the arm 230 in Figures 5 and 6 by means of a screw 36. The lever arm 230 has a cam follower 234 rotatably mounted at an intermediate point on the arm between the pivot shaft 232 land the upper end of the arm in Figures 5 and 6.

A coil spring 236 is connected between the upper ends of the lever arms 224 and 230 in Figures 5 and 6, and this spring biases the cam followers 228 and 234 against the peripheral edge of the cam 204. The cam 204 is shaped so that in one angular position (as shown in Figure 5) it moves the lower end of the lever arm 224 in Figure 5 and the stack head 20 to the left end of the slot 42, and it also moves the lower end of the lever 230 in Figure 5 and the feed head 18 to the left end of the slot 38. In a second angular position of the cam 204, displaced 180 from the iirst angular position, and as shown in Figure 5, the cam 204 moves the lower end of the lever arm 228 and the stack head 20 to the right end of the slot 42, and it moves the lower end of the arm 230 and the feed head 18 to the right end of the slot 38. Thus, Figure 5 shows the mechanism in its feeding mode, and Figure 6 shows the mechanism in its stacking mode.

A switch 280 is mounted on the under side of the `table top 11 by a mounting bracket 282. The switch 280 has an actuating arm 283, and this arm is spring-biased to urge a cam follower 284 against the periphery of the cam 210,

.the cam follower284` being rotatably mounted at the end 9 of the switch actuator 252. The switch 280 is connected into a control system, which will be described in conjunction with Figure l0.

The sprocket 222 which drives the cam mechanism is coupled to a drive motor 300 in a manner more clearly shown in Figure 7. The drive motor may be a 23 rpm., 1/1000 horsepower model, and it is keyed through a coupler 302 to an overriding clutch 304. The clutch 304, in turn, is coupled to a sprocket 306. A drive chain 310 couples the sprocket 306 to the sprocket 222. When the clutch 304 is engaged, the motor 300 drives the sprocket 306. The sprocket 306, in turn, drives the sprocket 222 to rotate the cams 204 and 210.

Details of the clutch mechanism are shown in Figures 8 and 9. As more clearly shown in these latter figures, the motor 300 has a drive shaft 312 to which a cylindrical collar 314 is aiiixed by means, for example, of a stud 316. The collar 314 forms a portion f the coupler 302, and the collar is keyed tio a first portion 316 of the clutch 304 by means, for example, of a key 317 (Figure 7).

When the clutch is disengaged, the portion 316 of the clutch 304 is freely rotated by the motor 300 and this portion rotates with respect to a second portion 318 of the clutch. The second portion 318 is fixed to a drive shaft 320 on which the sprocket 306 is mounted, the sprocket 306 being so mounted by a set screw 322. Rotation of the section 318 of the clutch 314 produces a rotation of the sprocket 306. This, in turn, causes the chain 310 to drive the sprocket 222 of the cam mechanism. Such rotation is realized when the clutch is engaged.

The clutch mechanism is enclosed in a housing 324 (Figure S) which is mounted on the under side of the table top 11 by means of a suitable bracket 326. This bracket is welded to the under side of the table top and to the housing 324. The housing also serves as a support for the motor 300, the motor being mounted to the end of the housing by a plurality of screws 328 which extend through the housing and are threaded into a motor casing.

A U-shaped bracket 330 (Figure 8) is mounted on the inside of the housing 324 by means of a pair of cap screws 332 and 334. The bracket 330 is disposed to one side of the clutch 304, and it serves t0 support a solenoid 336. The solenoid 336 is positioned so that its longitudinal axis extends substantially parallel to the rotational axis of `the motor 300 and the clutch 304. The solenoid 336 has an armature 338 which extends through one end of the U-shaped bracket 330 when the solenoid is not energized. When the solenoid is energized, the armature 338 is retracted against the compression of a spring 340. The solenoid is held in the U-shaped bracket 330 by a screw 342 extending through the other end of the bracket and into the other end of the solenoid.

The clutch 304 is of the overriding type, as noted above. The clutch includes a release bracket 344 which is mounted adjacent the portion 318 in coaxial relation with the axis of rotation of the clutch. The bracket 344 has a pair of radial ears 349 (Figure 9) positioned diametrically opposite each other. A pair of cap screws 346 and 348 extend from the portion 318 through slots 351 formed in the release bracket 344.

One ear of the bracket 344 normally engagesthe end of the solenoid armature 338 protruding through the bracket 330 to hold the clutch 3.04 in a released condition. This may best be seen in Figure 9. However, when the solenoid is energized to retract the armature 338, the armature releases the bracket 344 so that the portion 318 of the clutch is free to be rotated by the portion 316. lf the solenoid is energized for an extremely short interval, the diametrioally opposite ear of the bracket 344 engages the armature 338 so that the bracket makes only one-half a revolution. This means that the solenoid 336 can be pulsed, and each time it is so pulsed the cam mechanism is driven by one-half a complete revolution. i

The cam 204, as described above, is so shaped that in a rst half revolution the lever 224 is rotated to bring the stack head 20 to the operative position and the lever 230 is rotated to bring the feed head 18 to the standby position. The station is then conditioned to its stacking mode, and the positions of the assembly for this mode are shown in Figure 6. The next half revolution of the cam can be such as to return the stack head 20 to itsstandby position and 4to bring the feed head 18 to its operative position, This now conditions the station to its feeding mode, as illustrated in Figure 5. Therefore, successive pulsing of the solenoid 336 alternatively conditions the station 10 to its feeding mode and to its stacking mode. As noted above, full details of the control for the station will be found in copending application Ser. No. 645,639.

A suitable control system for responding to the actuation of the switch actuators 50 or 50a is shown in Figure l0. The system includes the cam actuated switch 280 described above. This switch 280 has a fixed contact which is connected to the positive lterminal of 1a source of direct voltage 400. The source 400 also has a negative terminal, and it has a grounded common terminal.

The armature of the solenoid-actuated switch 280 is connected to one side of a relay winding 402, the other side of this winding being grounded. The relay winding 402 controls a normally open relay 'switch 404. The armature of the switch 404'is connected to one side of the energizing winding of the solenoid 336 which actuates the clutch mechanism described above. The other side of this energizing winding of the solenoid 336 is grounded.

The fixed contact of the relay switch 404 is connected to the output terminal of a diiferentiator 406. The differentiator 406 is`constructed in well known manner to differentiate a pulse introduced to it so as to sharpen the edges of that pulse. A capacitor 408 is connected between the input terminal of the differentiator 406 and the armature of the switch 50 associated with the stack 10. The fixed contact of the switch 58 is connected to the positive terminal of the source 400. Similar switches at the other station, such as the station 12, are connected lin parallel with the switch 58.

Therefore, whenever a jammed condition occurs at any of the stations, the circuit is completed from the capacitor 408 to the positive terminal of the source 400. Likewise, a lead 410 connects the output terminal of the diiferentiator `406 to the fixed contact of relay switches at the other stations corresponding to the relay switch 404. As will be described, the relay switch 404 is closed whenever the station is in its feeding mode. Therefore, the solenoid winding 336 is energized whenever the station 10 is in a feeding mode to condition the station to its stacking mode. Likewise, any other stations that are feeding cards to the drum 16 are immediately actuated to their stacking mode to arrest that feed.

More particularly, when the station 10, for example, is conditioned to its feeding mode, the cam 210 has a radial projection 2i10a which engages the cam follower 284 to close the armature 283 of the switch 280 on its fixed contact. Tlhis causes the solenoid winding 402 to be energized to close the switch 404. Then, should a jammed condition occur at the station 10 (or at any other station) the switch 58 or corresponding switches at any of the other stations is closed by the switchy actuator 50 in the manner described above. This causes current to ow into capacitor 40S so that the differentiator 406 produces a sharp output pulse. This output pulse from the diiferentiator pulses the solenoid winding 336 because the switch 404 is closed. This, in the described manner, causes the station 10 to be conditioned to its stacking mode. v

Therefore, the feed of cards from the station 10 to the drum 16 is immediately stopped. Any otherr station that may be feeding cards to the system is also immediately conditioned to its stacking mode in like manner by the pulse fed over the lead 410.

However, if a station is already in its stacking mode, it is not affected because its switch corresponding to the switch 280 is open and its relay switch corresponding to the switch 494 is also open.

Therefore, whenever a jammed condition occurs at any of the stations, the corresponding switch actuator closes its switch to cause the control system of Figure l immediately to condition all feeding mode stations to their stacking mode. Therefore, no further cards are feed to the drum 16 so that the jammed condition of the cards cannot become so aggravated that damage and obliteration of the recorded data on a large number of cards could occur.

The pulse from the differentiator 496 is also used to trigger a ip-flop 412 to its true state. The flip-hop may be any usual bri-stable relaxation circuit, and in its true state it exhibits a relatively high voltage at its left output terminal. The left output terminal of the nip-flop 412 is conneced to the control grid of a triode 414. The triode is connected in a cathode follower stage. Its anode is connected to the positive terminal of the source 498, and a resistor 416 is connected between its control grid and the negative terminal of that source. A resistor 418 is connected to the cathode of the triode 414 and to ground.

The triode 414 is normally non-conductive. However, when the iiip-op 412 is triggered to its `true state, the resulting relatively high voltage at its left output terminal overcomes the negative bias supplied to the control grid of the triode through the resistor 416 to render the triode conductive.

The drive motor for the drum 16 is represented schematically by the block 420. This drive motor is connected through a circuit breaker 422 to a usual energizing source 424. The circuit breaker 422 may be of usual construction, and it is connected to the cathode of the triode 414.

Whenever the triode 414 is rendered conductive, a relatively high positive voltage appears across the resistor 418, and this voltage is introduced to the circuit breaker to trip the breaker and thereby stop the motor 420. Therefore, the jammed condition also causes the drum 16 immediately to be brought to a stop which also prevents the jamming of the cards from resulting in excessive damage to a large number of cards.

The right input terminal of the flip-flop 412 is connected to a reset switch 426. This switch 426 is connected to the positive terminal of a source 400. The switch may be in the form of a push button switch which introduces a voltage to the right input terminal `of the flip-flop long enough to restore the ip-op to its original condition. The circuit breaker 422 can also be reset by the usual manual reset means. Therefore, after the jammed condition has been alleviated, the various circuits can be reset so that the system can rapidly be placed back in operation.

The present invention provides, therefore, an improved apparatus and system whereby the data processing system may be immediately brought to a stop and all cards fed into the system immediately halted, as soon as a jammed condition of the cards results on the drum.

Although this application has been disclosed and illustrated with reference to particular applications, the principles involved are susceptible of numerous other applications which will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. The invention is, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the appended claims. For example, the term cards as used in the specification and in the claims is intended to include any type of discrete elements which are capable of recording information for subsequent reproduction of such information.

We claim:

l. in apparatus for processing data on a plurality of information storage cards, the combination of: a rotatable vacuum pressure transporting drum for transporting the cards on its peripheral surface, a plurality of card holding means each having a mouth disposed adjacent said drum at spaced angular positions around said drum, transfer means associated with each of said holding means including a stacking member actuable between a stand-by condition and an operative condition to deposit cards when in its operative condition from said rotatable drum into said card holding means in stacked condition and including a feeding member for providing a transfer of cards from the card holding means to the drum when the stacking member is in its stand-by condition, a switch actuator positioned adjacent the mouth of at least one of said card holding means in close proximity to said transporting drum to be moved from a stand-by position to an operative position upon the supermposing of one card over another on the periphery of said transporting drum at the mouth of the corresponding one of said card holding means, switching means actuatable by said switch actuator in the operative position of the switch actuator, and a control system incorporating said switching means for producing an actuation of the stacking member at each of the card holding means to its operative condition to prevent other cards `from being transferred to said transporting drum from any of said card holding means upon the actuation of the switching means.

2. In apparatus for processing data on a plurality of information storage cards, the combination of: a vacuum pressure transporting drum rotatable in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis and adapted to transport information cards on its peripheral surface, a reversible card holding station having a mouth disposed adjacent said drum and including a pair of spaced parallel guide rails extending in a horizontal plane substantially perpendicular to said peripheral surface of said drum to hold a plurality of cards in stacked relationship for transfer between the station and the drum, a stack head disposed adjacent the trailing one of said guide rails with respect to the rotation of said drum having an operative position for removing successive ones of the cards transported on said drum to deposit the same in a stacked condition in said station and to maintain cards in said station, a feed head dis posed adjacent the leading one of said rails and having an operative position for controllably feeding cards from said station to said drum, means for moving said feed head and said stack head in alternation to such operative positions, a switch-actuating arm pivotably supported ad jacent the mouth of said reversible station and having a free end spaced from the periphery of said transporting drum in close proximity therewith, resilient means for biasing said free end of said arm toward the periphery of said drum to a stand-by position of said arm, said arm being movable to an operative position by the superimposing of one card over another on the periphery of said drum in a vicinity of the mouth of said station, switching means actuatable by said switch actuating arm in the operative position of the arm, and a control system incorporating said switching means to prevent other cards from being supplied by said drum to said station upon the actuation of said switching means.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 in which the system includes at least one additional reversible card holding station associated therewith similar to said firstmentioned station, and in which said control system oper ates to obtain the movement of a stack head associated with said additional station to its operative positions to maintain the cards in such additional station and prevent the feed of cards therefrom to said transporting means when said switch actuating arm is in its operative position.

4. In apparatus for processing data on a plurality of information storage cards, the combination of: transport means for the cards, a card holding station constructed to hold a plurality of cards in stacked relationship for an individual transfer of cards between the transport means and the card holding station, a feedhead disposed in coupled relationship to the cards in the card holding station in a first position and constructed to obtain a controlled transfer of cards between the transport means and the card holding means in the first position and movable to a second position out of coupled relationship with the cards in the card holding means, a stackhead disposed in a iirst position in coupled relationship to the cards on the transport means for a transfer of cards from the transport means to the card holding means and movable to a second position out of coupled relationship with the cards on the transport means, sensing means disposed in coupled relationship to the cards on the transport means to sense the snperimposition of cards on the transport means, and means coupled to the sensing means and responsive to the superimposition of cards on the transport means for obtaining a movement of the feedhead to the second position and a concurrent movement of the stackhead to the first position to prevent cards from being transferred from the card holding means to the transport means.

5. In apparatus for processing data on a plurality off information storage cards, the combination of: transport means for the cards, a plurality of card holding means disposed in spaced relationship to one another and each constructed to hold a plurality of cards in stacked relationship for an individual and sequential transfer of cards between the transport means and the card holding means, a plurality of feedheads each movable between first and second positions and each associated with different card holding means to obtain a controlled transfer of cards from the associated card holding means to the transport means and each disposed out of coupled relationship with the cards in the card holding means in the second position, a plurality of stackheads each movable between first and second positions and each associated with a dierent card holding means and each disposed in coupled relationship to the transport means in a rst position to obtain a controlled transfer of cards from the transport means to the associated card holding means and each disposed out of coupled lrelationship with the transport means in the second position, means coupled to the feedheads and the stackheads for obtaining a disposition of particular ones of the feedheads in the first position and particular ones of the stackheads in the rst position at any instant, a switch actuator disposed in coupled relationship to the transport means for movement from a stand-by position to an operative position upon an accumulation of more than one card at the same position on the transport means, and means including electrical circuitry responsive to the movement of the switch actuator into the operative position for obtaining movements of the stackheads in the plurality to the rst positions and the feedheads in the plurality to the second positions to prevent any further transfer of cards from the card holding means to the transport means.

6. The combination set forth in claim in which the transport means are movable and in which means including electrical circuitry are responsive to the movement of the switch actuator to the operative position to thereafter prevent movement of the transport means.

7. In apparatus for processing data on a plurality of discrete information storage elements the combination of: transport means constructed to obtain an individual movement of storage elements in the plurality, holding means constructed to hold a plurality of the storage elements and having a mouth disposed relative -to the trans port means to obtain a transfer of cards between the transport means and the holding means, transfer means associated with the holding means and including a transfer member for controlling the sequential transfer of the storage elements through the mouth of the holding means to the transfer means, the transfer means also including a control member having a stand-by condition in which the storage elements may be transferred from the holding means to the transport means and having an operative condition in which such transfer of the storage elements from the holding means to the transport means is prevented, a switch actuator positioned in close proximity to the transport means and responsive to the cards on the transport means to be controlled from a stand-by condition to an operative condition upon the superimposing of one storage element on another on the transport means, switching means responsive to the switch actuator to become actuated in the operative position of the actuator, and a control system electrically coupled to the switching means upon the actuation of the switching means for producing an actuation of said control member to the operative condition of the control member to prevent other storage elements from being transferred to the transport means from the holding means upon the actuation of thez switching means.

8. In apparatus for processing data on a plurality ofl information storage cards, the combination of: transport means for the cards, a card holding station constructed to hold cards in the plurality in stacked relationship for' an individual transfer of cards between the transport means and the card holding station, a feedhead disposed `relative to the cards in the card holding station to obtain a controlled transfer of cards from the card holding means to the transport means, a stackhead coupled in a first operative relationship to the cards on the transport means for a transfer of such cards from the transport means to the card holding means and disposed in a second operative relationship out of coupled relationship with the cards on the transport means, sensing means disposed relative to the cards on the transport means to sense the superimposition of cards on the transport means, and means coupled to the sensing means and responsive to the superimposition of cards on the transport means for obtaining a change in the stackhead from the second operative relationship to the first operative relationship to prevent cards from being transferred from the card holding means to the transport means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,039,541 Kast Sept. 24, 1912 1,040,025 Schlesinger Oct. 1, 1912 1,469,515 Kelly Oct. 2, 1923 1,826,992 Carroll Oct. 12, 1931 2,125,199 Rheutan July 26, 1938 2,129,230 ONeil Sept. 6, 1938 2,752,154 Nelson June 26, 1956 2,817,519 Beck Dec. 24, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 912,487 France Apr. 29, 1946 

